Dachau Concentration Camp - 26 May

Scott and I visited the Dachau Concentration Camp while in Munich, Germany. There wasn't a tour so we just walked around freely. There was so much information and there just wasn't enough time to read everything. It's very difficult to imagine this actually happening--very sad. I don't understand how this happens. They've now built four churches of different faiths at the camp for people to reflect on what they've seen.

This camp was open for 12 years with 200,000 incarcerated. 43,000+ died...

This marks where the prisons got off the bus to line up for entry

Gate to go inside

Me just outside the entrance

The crematorium was the furthest away from everything so we visited it first

The crematorium

This is the waiting area where victims were informed of their "showers".

Door to the gas chamber. The room was disguised as showers to prevent people from refusing to enter the room.

Inside the gas chamber. During a period of 15-20 min, up to 150 people at a time could be suffocated to death.

Room where the dead were brought before they were cremated.

Incinerator room

Each furnace could cremate two to three corpses at once.

Pistol range for execution

The entry to the crematorium area

Perimeter fence to prevent escape. If the prisoners got too close, they were shot.

The strips are were the barracks used to be

In between the rows of barracks

This was one of two barracks still there at the site, and the only one we could go into

Entry to the barracks

Beds

More rows of beds

Pic of men in the beds

Locker room

Outside the old maintenance building where it contained a kitchen, laundry, and supplies. It's also where the prisons registered upon arrival to the camp. It's now a museum.

Inside the museum

Prisoner uniform

Cruel form of punishment. The prisoner had to count along and if they misspoke, they would have to start again so they were hit more times than ordered. It says on the sign "The abused prisoner's screams were widely heard..."

Terrible living conditions

Gold teeth register

I always find treatment of women to be interesting. I didn't even think of them being here too for some reason. Women weren't brought here though until the final phase of war to do hard labor. They endured the same conditions as the men, but were also subjected to sexual violence.

Outside the building (to the left) for solitary confinement and special prisoners to include political prisoners.

Very long hallway with lots of rooms...

This shows the "standing cells". They created four areas in a room so small a prisoner couldn't sit or lay down. They were kept here for up to 72 hours. After the liberation, the American military removed the cells.

Looking into a room from the hallway...so creepy...

Munich - 26 May

Scott and I took a day trip to Munich, Germany for a city tour and to visit a concentration camp. My Grandma stayed back to watch Damien--thanks Grandma! As with the Heidelberg trip, I can't remember everything that was said. I think it was about a 4-5 hour bus ride and then a one hour city bus tour followed by a walking tour. After that we had some free time to shop and we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe. After lunch, we finished the day off at the Dachau Concentration Camp, but those photos will be in the next post. I don't have any photos from the bus tour because we were moving and I didn't want to get sick. Plus, it would have been difficult to get a decent photo. Munich has a very interesting history so it was definitely a great place to see--too bad I can't remember it! I know it's part of Bavaria and is the third largest city in Germany.

Nymphenburg Palace

Nymphenburg Palace

Scott spent a lot of time taking pictures of the swans so it was only right that I posted one :)

All I can remember is this was a very old part of the city

A story went along with this place...it was said that wild pig tried to kill a baby boy and the tenants' monkey kidnapped the baby to the attic for a few hours to save it. Baby was returned to family safely.

Street view in Munich

It was hard to get the whole structure in one photo

Madonna

Opera House

I can't remember what the building is behind Scott...I know they've spent YEARS rebuilding it though.

Me! I was a little creeped out by the homeless man behind me though...

Lots of bikes

Hi, Scott!

Famous King

This building was one of Hitler's that survived the war

Interesting fact about Munich: So much of the city was destroyed in the war so it had to be rebuilt. After much debate, they decided to reconstruct it using the old lines...meaning that the roads, curves, and buildings were kept the same instead of adopting a grid-style and architecture like a modern city. This road is so wide and straight and it was considered very modern and different in its time.

Street view - outside of Hard Rock Cafe

Inside the Hard Rock Cafe